MILWAUKEE | Development News

[Groninger]

They do have a way of being rather pragmatic... The Netherlands, where I currently reside, is a good example. While Ireland and Spain have the highest unemployment rate in Europe at 13% and 19% respectively, the Netherlands has an unemployment figure of only 3.6%. Now, while the Dutch are not necessarily German, they share many common traits, such as a similar language and similar ancestral background. And BTW, Germany isn't doing that bad either, only 7.6%... http://www.finfacts.ie/irishfinancenews/article_1018331.shtml

http://www.finfacts.com/irishfinancenews/article_1018306.shtml

[UrbanSchmurban]

Latitude
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i200/phedipides/IMG_0370.jpg
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i200/phedipides/IMG_0371.jpg

Cambridge Commons
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i200/phedipides/IMG_0362.jpg
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i200/phedipides/IMG_0363.jpg
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i200/phedipides/IMG_0367.jpg
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i200/phedipides/IMG_0368.jpg

Third Ward

Jackson Square Apartments
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i200/phedipides/IMG_0372.jpg
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i200/phedipides/IMG_0373.jpg
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i200/phedipides/IMG_0375.jpg
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i200/phedipides/IMG_0387.jpg

Corcoran Lofts
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i200/phedipides/IMG_0376.jpg
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i200/phedipides/IMG_0377.jpg
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i200/phedipides/IMG_0379.jpg
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i200/phedipides/IMG_0380.jpg
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i200/phedipides/IMG_0382.jpg
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i200/phedipides/IMG_0383.jpg
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i200/phedipides/IMG_0385.jpg


Anyone know what's going on here? This is in Walker's Point, close to the Alterra on 1st.
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i200/phedipides/IMG_0388.jpg
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i200/phedipides/IMG_0389.jpg
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i200/phedipides/IMG_0394.jpg
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i200/phedipides/IMG_0399.jpg

[Groninger]

God. I love this city. I got some unsettling news about Grad School at UWM though. It would cost me $38,000 per year to go there. It's a scary and sobering reality.

[pip]

Wow!

http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i200/phedipides/IMG_0385.jpg

[the urban politician]

^ Seriously, that rocks--a totally new urban streetscape from scratch, no?

[FrAnKs]

Thats a pretty cool architecture ;) ... and now , all what they've to do is making a new street pavement and put much threes than actually and da will be perfect :tup:

Greetings from Montréal,Canada.

[tjh1]

I've never been to Milwaukee, but I've always imagined it to be a pretty cool place--and seeing these great developments makes me really really want to visit the city.

[Twoaday]

@Franks Yes we do need to narrow many streets and add a lot of street trees, not to mention simple fix the road.. That said the Third Ward does continue to impress me, still plenty to develop but it has really been the birth of a new neighborhood.

[UrbanSchmurban]

Jackson Square Lofts
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i200/phedipides/IMG_0619.jpg

http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i200/phedipides/IMG_0607.jpg
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i200/phedipides/IMG_0608.jpg
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i200/phedipides/IMG_0614.jpg
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i200/phedipides/IMG_0617.jpg
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i200/phedipides/IMG_0621.jpg
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i200/phedipides/IMG_0623.jpg
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i200/phedipides/IMG_0624.jpg
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i200/phedipides/IMG_0632.jpg
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i200/phedipides/IMG_0652.jpg
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i200/phedipides/IMG_0658.jpg

Corcoran Lofts
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i200/phedipides/IMG_0659.jpg
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i200/phedipides/IMG_0660.jpg
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i200/phedipides/IMG_0693.jpg

Neighbors and such
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i200/phedipides/IMG_0671.jpg

[UrbanSchmurban]

Cambridge Commons
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i200/phedipides/IMG_0810.jpg

(sorry for the blurriness of this image, but you can make out the light brick going up on the inside wall)
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i200/phedipides/IMG_0808.jpg

Beerline Neighborhood
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i200/phedipides/IMG_0806.jpg
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i200/phedipides/IMG_0805.jpg
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i200/phedipides/IMG_0748.jpg
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i200/phedipides/IMG_0794.jpg
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i200/phedipides/IMG_0750.jpg
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i200/phedipides/IMG_0752.jpg
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i200/phedipides/IMG_0760.jpg
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i200/phedipides/IMG_0761.jpg
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i200/phedipides/IMG_0764.jpg
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i200/phedipides/IMG_0788.jpg
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i200/phedipides/IMG_0792.jpg

[Thundertubs]

I really like this:
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i200/phedipides/IMG_0385.jpg

And I'm not one who generally likes new stuff. It doesn't look like a self-conscious real estate development, but rather a regular city street, and pretty cool one at that. Thumbs up to Milwaukee on this one.

[Twoaday]

@Thundertubs Agreed. The Third Ward has really developed, and is continuing to develop, in a nice urban form. Still needs a bit more density but these projects have sure helped, in that regard.

[UrbanSchmurban]

Corcoran Lofts
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i200/phedipides/DSC_0026.jpg
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i200/phedipides/DSC_0031.jpg
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i200/phedipides/DSC_0032.jpg
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i200/phedipides/DSC_0033.jpg
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i200/phedipides/DSC_0034.jpg
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i200/phedipides/DSC_0038.jpg
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i200/phedipides/DSC_0093.jpg
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i200/phedipides/DSC_0052.jpg
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i200/phedipides/DSC_0053.jpg
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i200/phedipides/DSC_0095.jpg

I think this is the building MIAD plans on converting into dorms, although I may be completely wrong on this. Can anyone confirm one way or the other?
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i200/phedipides/DSC_0046.jpg

Jackson Square Apartments
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i200/phedipides/DSC_0099.jpg
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i200/phedipides/DSC_0104.jpg
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i200/phedipides/DSC_0142.jpg
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i200/phedipides/DSC_0143.jpg
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i200/phedipides/DSC_0144.jpg
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i200/phedipides/DSC_0012.jpg
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i200/phedipides/DSC_0015.jpg
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i200/phedipides/DSC_0017.jpg
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i200/phedipides/DSC_0021.jpg

Crossing over into Walker's Point
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i200/phedipides/DSC_0092.jpg
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i200/phedipides/DSC_0088.jpg
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i200/phedipides/DSC_0060.jpg
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i200/phedipides/DSC_0063.jpg
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i200/phedipides/DSC_0084.jpg
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i200/phedipides/DSC_0065.jpg

South Water Works
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i200/phedipides/DSC_0068.jpg
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i200/phedipides/DSC_0069.jpg
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i200/phedipides/DSC_0071.jpg

Just a parting shot of Farwell (Breakwater somewhat visible)
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i200/phedipides/DSC_0145.jpg

[UrbanSchmurban]

I was reading the recently-published Smart Growth Manual today and was pleasantly surprised to see an image of Milwaukee as an example for the placement and design of civic buildings (the art museum, not surprisingly).

The caption for the image reads:
"Milwaukee, WI: The extraordinary location and design of the city's art museum reflects Milwaukee's commitment to culture."

http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i200/phedipides/SmarthGrowthManual_Milwaukee.jpg

[Groninger]

Way to go Milwaukee!!

[eburress]

Thats a pretty cool architecture ;) ... and now , all what they've to do is making a new street pavement and put much threes than actually and da will be perfect :tup:

Greetings from Montréal,Canada.

I was just thinking that. There's such a sharp contrast between all those pretty, new buildings and that ugly street. Trees, pavement, brick pavers, interesting lighting, some kind of neighborhood arch...something...would spruce up the place!

[UrbanSchmurban]

2nd St. work moves forward
Roadway would be narrowed to 2 lanes
By Georgia Pabst of the Journal Sentinel
Posted: Dec. 9, 2009 9:58 p.m.

With strong support from the Department of City Development, the Metropolitan Sewage District and property owners, a Common Council committee Wednesday recommended a proposal to rebuild S. 2nd St. by narrowing the roadway and adding bike lanes, grass, trees and other amenities.

In an unusual appearance before the public works committee, DCD Commissioner Rocky Marcoux called the plans to redo the street "a golden opportunity" to attract new business development. "We will have a street that's really alive," he said.

And MMSD Executive Director Kevin Shafer said narrowing the traffic lanes and adding grass and trees to the avenue will be good for the environment because it will reduce overflow into the sewage system and reduce costs.

"It's good for the environment, the economy and the social values of the region," he said.

Juli Kaufmann, a resident and business owner in the area, said the Walker's Point Neighborhood Association strongly supports the plan that she called "a smart visionary policy" for the street.

The proposal also drew support from Shea Schachameyer of the Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin. She said the bike path would be a great connector through the city.

But Ald. James Witkowiak said that although most constituents he heard from supported the project, there was opposition.

Joe Sanfelippo, representing the Walker's Point Mobil and the American United Taxi Cab Co., appeared before the committee to voice strong objections, saying the two lanes would create traffic congestion and that it would be difficult for delivery trucks

http://www.jsonline.com/news/milwaukee/78931142.html

[Nowhereman1280]

^^^ Why would a gas station owner and a taxi cab company ever try to block the construction of a pedestrian friendly street and a bike lane? :rolleyes: Could that be anymore stereotypical?

[UrbanSchmurban]

Web servers could slake thirst in Milwaukee
Massive Internet switching complexes need water for cooling
By John Schmid of the Journal Sentinel
Posted: Dec. 12, 2009


As the U.S. becomes more dependent on advanced technology, the notion of attracting a Google "server farm" to Milwaukee's inner city isn't as farfetched as it might seem.

The reason: water.

The server-farm suggestion - which could be categorized as creative brainstorming at this point - comes from attorney and water-industry activist Barry Grossman a month after Milwaukee officials embarked on a new strategy to offer discounted water to any employer creating jobs in the city.

Grossman's research shows that Google, Yahoo and Microsoft continue to scour the globe for new sites for their server farms, which can use up to 360,000 gallons of water a day.

Google's data centers - windowless bunkers the size of football fields - are the unseen and unglamorous side of the Internet, scattered around the world by the dozens. They guzzle water on an industrial scale to cool racks of computers producing the heat of 10,000 toaster ovens, not unlike a 19th-century steelworks, says Robert Glennon, author of a new book, "Unquenchable: America's water crisis and what to do about it."

It was Glennon's book that gave Grossman the idea of trying to lure a server farm to a site such as the shuttered Tower Automotive works, a century-old industrial ruin on Milwaukee's northwest side.

...

(article goes on)
http://www.jsonline.com/business/79107797.html

[eastsider2]

Urban S. - your pictures are out of control, in a good way. I used to have a a sign-in here, but I forgot my username so I set up a new one. Here's a my favorite two projects under construction.

The Moderne
Financing Approved/ Site Prep/ Construction 02/2010
http://www.biztimes.com/nf/uploads/Image/RE_Weekly_09%7C16%7C09/The_Moderne_Animation_09_2009_02.gif

Saint John's on the Lake
Under Construction
http://www.saintjohnsmilw.org/expansion/news/art/view2.jpg
http://www.saintjohnsmilw.org/expansion/news/art/view1.jpg

[eastsider2]

And two that are U/C still because of the financial freeze:

Residences on Water/Staybridge Hotel
http://www.biztimes.com/nf/uploads/Image/reweely11-18-2008/staybridge.jpg

Park Lafayette
http://propimages.apartments.com/1408/704446_32.jpg

http://img1.classistatic.com/cps/po/091110/944r9/2889d72_27.jpeg

[eastsider2]

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Marcus Co formally commits to downtown theater (http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/business/82598762.html)

http://img683.imageshack.us/img683/7711/mjsmarcusa.jpg
Marcus Corp. today formally committed to operating a downtown theater complex that would be part of a $100 million project in the Park East area.

The theater project "has advanced," with Marcus signing a letter of intent to purchase a portion of the site, Katie Falvey, Marcus' real estate director, told me.

Falvey spoke to me just after the County Board's Committee on Economic and Community Development voted to extend a purchase option on a county-owned lot that would be part of the project site. The larger project site, which covers 2.6 acres, overlooks the Milwaukee River, west of N. Water St. and north of E. Knapp St.

The Marcus cinema would have multiple screens, a significant food and beverage operation, and would be "very upscale," Falvey told committee members. She declined to discuss specific details, and said those plans are not yet final.

The project, which would be developed by Rainier Properties II LLC, also would include a 10-story, 285,000-square-foot office building; a 560-space parking structure, along with restaurants and shops. San Antonio, Texas-based USAA Real Estate Co. would provide financing.

http://img683.imageshack.us/img683/7118/mjsmarcus.jpg

[Tom In Chicago]

That's a fine looking building. . .

[eastsider2]

$1 million dollar plaza now u/c in Third Ward.

Description from Living Systems (http://livingsystemsla.blogspot.com/2007_09_01_archive.html):

The park features the Radiant Grove, a series of bamboo planting beds that are integrated with a network of steam pits structured beneath the ground surface. Each steam pit includes a low-energy pump that draws groundwater up from the river below. Immersion heaters in the pits heat up the water to 150 F (65.6 C) and emit hot steam, which creates a warm microclimate within the cold surroundings. This microclimate is intended to sustain the growth of the bamboo during the winter months.

http://archlandscapes.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/Erie-Street-Plaza-Landscape-STOSS-2009-USA-Wisconsin-Milwaukee04-590x296.jpg

http://archlandscapes.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/Erie-Street-Plaza-Landscape-STOSS-2009-USA-Wisconsin-Milwaukee01-590x289.jpg

http://archlandscapes.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/Erie-Street-Plaza-Landscape-STOSS-2009-USA-Wisconsin-Milwaukee07-590x310.gif

[eastsider2]

Biz Times (http://www.biztimes.com/realestateweekly/2010/1/27/#racm-approves-bonds-for-rscs-park-east-project-spring-groundbreaking-planned)

http://www.biztimes.com/nf/uploads/Image/RE%20Weekly%2001|27|10/Park_East_Square_01_27_10.jpg

The Redevelopment Authority of the City of Milwaukee (RACM) approved about $25 million in revenue bonds for Oak Park, Ill.-based RSC & Associates’ Park East corridor apartment building development, called Park East Square.
RSC plans to build a 120-unit apartment building on the downtown Milwaukee block bounded by North Jefferson Street, East Lyon Street, North Milwaukee Street and East Ogden Avenue. The building will have about 4,000 square feet of retail space.

[eastsider2]

I took a walk through the Beerline B neighborhood the other night to check out some of the new development, and brought my camera along. The area's looking pretty good.

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_YCVlgKSBdDg/S3p1WUN_KjI/AAAAAAAAABo/aiAf3QFLVLc/s640/IMG_4160.JPG

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_YCVlgKSBdDg/S3p1bR1_pdI/AAAAAAAAABw/agKhrKvbffQ/s640/IMG_4187.JPG

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_YCVlgKSBdDg/S3p1gvw6iaI/AAAAAAAAAB4/M9C9qY1pYXc/s640/IMG_4212.JPG

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_YCVlgKSBdDg/S3p1mUP9l1I/AAAAAAAAAB8/wyoqAbXk9dA/s640/IMG_4215.JPG

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_YCVlgKSBdDg/S3p1rLTt5cI/AAAAAAAAACA/hzs249H63zM/s512/IMG_4224.JPG

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_YCVlgKSBdDg/S3p1wAkdUQI/AAAAAAAAACE/BASUzH9HQlo/s640/IMG_4234.JPG

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_YCVlgKSBdDg/S3p10zm-0rI/AAAAAAAAACI/rA9fqThZLWQ/s640/IMG_4235.JPG

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_YCVlgKSBdDg/S3p16QWfe6I/AAAAAAAAACM/FESEkmmlDm4/s640/IMG_4240.JPG

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_YCVlgKSBdDg/S3p2AWyN7II/AAAAAAAAACQ/Z66-w-yeIH4/s512/IMG_4251.JPG

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_YCVlgKSBdDg/S3p2ECa5DFI/AAAAAAAAACU/wNukWAXi-5Q/s640/IMG_4254.JPG

http://lh6.ggpht.com/_YCVlgKSBdDg/S3p2I67IhAI/AAAAAAAAACY/Z8ngssgAH6w/s640/IMG_4259.JPG

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_YCVlgKSBdDg/S3p2PoVbAaI/AAAAAAAAACc/BSfDVZLJaeM/s640/IMG_4262.JPG

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_YCVlgKSBdDg/S3p2T11H9GI/AAAAAAAAACg/Rb-QuN4cTq0/s640/IMG_4272.JPG

http://lh6.ggpht.com/_YCVlgKSBdDg/S3p2YRQC7oI/AAAAAAAAACk/Iar9EbonyyA/s640/IMG_4269.JPG

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_YCVlgKSBdDg/S3p2da0T0iI/AAAAAAAAACo/2h9BpgFd_fI/s640/IMG_4279.JPG

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_YCVlgKSBdDg/S3p2ivj6NmI/AAAAAAAAACs/meCHPKsNoPE/s640/IMG_4290.JPG

http://lh6.ggpht.com/_YCVlgKSBdDg/S3p2pLnTqqI/AAAAAAAAACw/ZZFzLOXB39c/s640/IMG_4296.JPG

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_YCVlgKSBdDg/S3p2vD5t7aI/AAAAAAAAAC0/QxdcZm6j2PM/s640/IMG_4298.JPG

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_YCVlgKSBdDg/S3p21KyckwI/AAAAAAAAAC8/LLysABKuaxw/s640/IMG_4307.JPG

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_YCVlgKSBdDg/S3p27FwFQxI/AAAAAAAAADA/QGtexrrv6lk/s640/IMG_4315.JPG

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_YCVlgKSBdDg/S3p3Atfc5AI/AAAAAAAAADE/gWC_o1MEX6M/s640/IMG_4321.JPG

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_YCVlgKSBdDg/S3p3GH2pkcI/AAAAAAAAADI/fZz96sfcGb8/s640/IMG_4331.JPG

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_YCVlgKSBdDg/S3p3H9ojOAI/AAAAAAAAADM/XAiHXstonX0/s640/IMG_4349.JPG

http://lh6.ggpht.com/_YCVlgKSBdDg/S3p3N85cD3I/AAAAAAAAADQ/a6KHaNiAdC8/s640/IMG_4352.JPG

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_YCVlgKSBdDg/S3p3TxOq30I/AAAAAAAAADU/630cKzW8WAI/s640/IMG_4335.JPG

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_YCVlgKSBdDg/S3p3ePgpIiI/AAAAAAAAADc/lSn11UGrYYY/s640/IMG_4214.JPG

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_YCVlgKSBdDg/S3p3isMu3iI/AAAAAAAAADg/p2ENLNi0fZU/s640/IMG_4226.JPG

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_YCVlgKSBdDg/S3p3mu0PwYI/AAAAAAAAADk/1I9BW7Lto6o/s512/IMG_4228.JPG

http://lh6.ggpht.com/_YCVlgKSBdDg/S3p3sPozUqI/AAAAAAAAADo/LRhl-jV2kUw/s640/IMG_4236.JPG

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_YCVlgKSBdDg/S3p3yf_lcFI/AAAAAAAAADs/0cc-FRCjOwA/s512/IMG_4243.JPG

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_YCVlgKSBdDg/S3p32cMpSMI/AAAAAAAAADw/jQOfZQXQT4M/s640/IMG_4275.JPG

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_YCVlgKSBdDg/S3p36lRqUHI/AAAAAAAAAD0/oNsDPoeMe9E/s640/IMG_4277.JPG

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_YCVlgKSBdDg/S3p4GN20oJI/AAAAAAAAAD8/VDl98XFrqkY/s640/IMG_4299.JPG

http://lh6.ggpht.com/_YCVlgKSBdDg/S3p3_tNloqI/AAAAAAAAAD4/3WfGqryq1xk/s640/IMG_4289.JPG

[AJR Journal]

I love your Beerline photos.
Thank you.

[ddvmke]

Hey All

New to the forum, but I figure I better join because I will be able to see the Park East Square development starting this spring from my balcony. Look for pictures to be posted on groundbreaking forward beginning whenever they do!

--------

Can we get some walkable retail downtown? http://images.publicradio.org/content/2009/09/21/20090921_for_lease_sign_storefront_18.jpg

[eastsider2]

^Welcome, and can't wait for the pics, you should have some good views.

http://www.biztimes.com/nf/uploads/Image/RE%20Weekly%2002|17|10/Ingeteam_Indar_500px.jpg

Biz Times: Spanish Company to Build Factory in the Valley (http://www.biztimes.com/realestateweekly/2010/2/17/spanish-company-to-build-factory-in-menomonee-valley)
Bilbao, Spain-based Ingeteam, a renewable energy company, will purchase an 8.1-acre site in the Menomonee Valley to build a $15 million, 114,000-square-foot manufacturing facility. The facility will also serve as the company’s North American headquarters.

Journal Sentinel: Cement maker plans new factory (http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/business/84625882.html)
Start-up business Reco Cement Products LLC plans to build a cement making facility in Milwaukee, possibly near the port, owner Dave Lisowski says.

[eastsider2]

Summerfest Hires Architects for South End Reconstruction (http://www.jsonline.com/news/milwaukee/84387272.html)
http://blog.firstweber.com/uploads/summerfest2.jpg
Summerfest has hired Eppstein Uhen Architects to design the upcoming stage and building reconstruction on the south end of the Henry Maier Festival grounds.

With a lease extension securing its lakefront home through 2030, Summerfest officials are planning a whole-scale renovation on the 22-acre section adjacent to the Marcus Amphitheater. Work is tentatively expected to begin after the 2010 festival season.

Summerfest directors met with representatives from four architectural firms and conducted a design competition that concluded with the selection of the Milwaukee-based firm.

New Gold's Gym Downtown (http://www.jsonline.com/business/84282497.html)
http://ahprdcdn3.costar.com//attachments/get.ishx?x=C6EC653B7C981F23228184E161414E5B3F5A8EF2A0DD2781613B821566262508B4D6285F950D8E6BBE720E627BDE4B04FC22FDF204EA841CD2DC2526E97A5C007FF8690464DBD5D37DF0FACA201CB7DF94667CB8945BD93BE860E4EEC2252D46346A721CC9EFA63DCC74D976CF33683C407B643F9B464FC3C1111F8EE91D0568614BD0F1931C57E61A7C9378BF44F0907F52147D11236E07947CDBDD544B00FF
Gold's Gym plans to open a large fitness facility at 731 N. Water St., a project that will redevelop a long-vacant office building and bring a new major health club operator to downtown Milwaukee. Gold's has agreed to lease 40,000 square feet, taking five of the building's eight floors, said Sheldon Oppermann, of Compass Properties, which owns the building.

The facility will include a swimming pool, basketball court, weight equipment and cardiovascular equipment, as well as lessons in yoga and Pilates, Oppermann said Friday. It is to open by November, said Sandy Hall, a partner in the Gold's Gym franchise for the Milwaukee area.

Hall said there's a definite need for another downtown fitness center, and said the demographics for the surrounding area are strong.

[Twoaday]

@ddvmke I really believe it is these smaller mixed-use buildings that bring the density required to support retail, so lets hope projects keep moving forward.

[Nowhereman1280]

A friend of mine just got a job at Ingeteam...

[eastsider2]

A friend of mine just got a job at Ingeteam...
For real, was it office or labor? I'm looking in a bad way.

[eastsider2]

Great article from the Biz Times summarizing what the transit system will look like in the future if the current projects become a reality.

Track to the Future (http://www.biztimes.com/news/2010/2/19/track-to-the-future)
Biz Times
It is Tuesday morning, Oct. 15, 2020. Businesspeople in southeastern Wisconsin have several transportation options to get around the region that were not available just 10 years ago.

Madeline, who owns a biotech company in Madison, is riding the high-speed train to a meeting with investment bankers in downtown Milwaukee. On the same train Buck, a lobbyist, is on his way to catch a flight out of Milwaukee’s General Mitchell International Airport to Washington, D.C. Also on the train is Wendell, the chief financial officer of a Madison-based community bank, who is on his way to a meeting in Chicago with executives for a larger bank that is interested in purchasing his institution. The train has Wi-Fi, so Wendell is checking his e-mail during the ride. Buck is reading the newspaper on his iPad. Madeline uses the time on the train to prepare for her meeting.

Meanwhile, Bernard, an attorney at a Milwaukee law firm, is riding the city’s downtown streetcar from his office to the Milwaukee Intermodal Station. There, he will catch a ride on the high-speed train to Madison and then take a shuttle bus to the State Capitol for a day of meetings with legislators. At the end of the day, he plans to take some clients to a University of Wisconsin basketball game at the Kohl Center, before taking the train back to Milwaukee.

Also riding the streetcar is Stanley, who lives on Milwaukee’s east side and will take the high-speed train to his job at an advertising agency in the Chicago Loop. Track to the Future (Full Story...

Images:
High Speed Rail Plan
http://www.biztimes.com/nf/uploads/Image/BTM%2002|19|10%20Upload/COV-High_Speed_Rail_Map.jpg

KRM Commuter Rail
http://www.biztimes.com/nf/uploads/Image/BTM%2002|19|10%20Upload/COV-KRM_Map.jpg

Streetcar
http://www.biztimes.com/nf/uploads/Image/BTM%2002|19|10%20Upload/COV-Streetcar.jpg

[Nowhereman1280]

For real, was it office or labor? I'm looking in a bad way.

Its an office job, I haven't talked to him about specifics yet though, so I don't know exactly what he'll be doing.

[eastsider2]

The Moderne updated their website (http://www.themoderne.net/), especially about pricing options. Construction is still listed as starting this month.

Pricing from the condo units will ranged from $2.5 million to $243k.
http://img696.imageshack.us/img696/2056/pricing.jpg

Floor Plans for the $2.5 million penthouse:
http://img97.imageshack.us/img97/9999/floorplang.jpg
Details:
3 bedroom+ study
3.5 bath
4,818 square feet + 1,049 square feet of terrace

New images of interior of units:
http://img684.imageshack.us/img684/1989/interiorb01900px.jpg

http://img62.imageshack.us/img62/3487/interiorg01900px.jpg

[Baronvonellis]

Wow, I'm really impressed with the quality of development that is going on in Milwaukee. Lots of good looking modern buildings. Also, they seem to be on the right track as far as transit is concerned. It would be nice if that street car went a little farther north at least up to the University of Wisconsin- Milwaukee to connect with the student population there, but atleast it's a start. Keep it up Milwaukee!

[i_am_hydrogen]

Great article from the Biz Times summarizing what the transit system will look like in the future if the current projects become a reality.

Track to the Future (http://www.biztimes.com/news/2010/2/19/track-to-the-future)
Biz Times
It is Tuesday morning, Oct. 15, 2020. Businesspeople in southeastern Wisconsin have several transportation options to get around the region that were not available just 10 years ago.

Madeline, who owns a biotech company in Madison, is riding the high-speed train to a meeting with investment bankers in downtown Milwaukee. On the same train Buck, a lobbyist, is on his way to catch a flight out of Milwaukee’s General Mitchell International Airport to Washington, D.C. Also on the train is Wendell, the chief financial officer of a Madison-based community bank, who is on his way to a meeting in Chicago with executives for a larger bank that is interested in purchasing his institution. The train has Wi-Fi, so Wendell is checking his e-mail during the ride. Buck is reading the newspaper on his iPad. Madeline uses the time on the train to prepare for her meeting.

Meanwhile, Bernard, an attorney at a Milwaukee law firm, is riding the city’s downtown streetcar from his office to the Milwaukee Intermodal Station. There, he will catch a ride on the high-speed train to Madison and then take a shuttle bus to the State Capitol for a day of meetings with legislators. At the end of the day, he plans to take some clients to a University of Wisconsin basketball game at the Kohl Center, before taking the train back to Milwaukee.

Also riding the streetcar is Stanley, who lives on Milwaukee’s east side and will take the high-speed train to his job at an advertising agency in the Chicago Loop. Track to the Future (Full Story...

Excellent article which lays everything out very clearly. Thanks for posting it.

[eastsider2]

http://www.biztimes.com/nf/uploads/Image/RE%20Weekly%2002|24|10/Broadway-Building.jpg

Developer plans 6-story building on Wisconsin Ave Block (http://www.biztimes.com/realestateweekly)
Biz Times - Real Estate Weekly

Milwaukee attorney Robert Levine, his son Michael Levine and a group of investors are working on plans to build a 6-story office building on the block southeast of Wisconsin Avenue and Broadway in downtown Milwaukee.
Michael Levine is also an attorney and is the owner of Next Generation Real Estate Inc., which is the developer for the project.

Current plans for the $35 million project includes 130,000 square feet of office space, 17,000 square feet of first floor retail space and 270 structured parking spaces. The developers say the building would have environmentally-friendly “green” features and a fitness center.

Robert Levine proposed a larger office development for the site several years ago, but that project never materialized.

The developers will need to secure an anchor office tenant to get financing for the project.

Several potential anchor tenants are in the market for office space and could anchor a new downtown building including: Von Briesen & Roper S.C. (seeking about 75,000 square feet), Godfrey & Kahn S.C. (seeking about 90,000 square feet), Baker Tilly and CH2M HILL.

[eastsider2]

http://img246.imageshack.us/img246/7671/untitle2d.jpg

http://img638.imageshack.us/img638/3672/62016338.jpg

MU to break ground for Engineering Facility March 5 (http://www.biztimes.com/realestateweekly)
Biz Times - Real Estate Weekly

The building, which is being designed and built by Opus North Corp., is expected to be complete by August of 2011. It will have several laboratories, common areas for students and office space.

The $35 million building is the first phase of a $100 million, 250,000-square-foot Discovery Learning Complex.

“This new facility will foster the development of the skills we need in the 21st century – innovative thinking, creative problem solving of real world issues, and experience in team dynamics,” said Rev. Robert A. Wild, S.J., president of Marquette University.

[the urban politician]

Saw Beerline a few times in person.

All in all, very nice development. It does, however, have that new, almost cartoonish look to it, the kind that says "hey, I don't belong in this old gritty town".

But I'm pretty sure that in a few decades all this new construction will acquire a nice texture and add a lot to the cityscape.

[eastsider2]

Milwaukee Community Sailing Center Moves into new $1.7 million Facility (http://www.biztimes.com/daily/2010/2/25/milwaukee-community-sailing-center-moves-into-new-17-million-facility)
Biz Times
Feb. 25, 2010

The Milwaukee Community Sailing Center has completed its $1.7 million facility at 1450 N. Lincoln Memorial Drive, and staff began to move in today. The project was privately funded with more than 500 people, organizations and companies contributing to develop the new building, which has many environmentally friendly features, including a geothermal system.

Renderings
http://www.sailingcenter.org/images/expansion_2a.jpg

http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/blog/uploaded_images/expansion_5a-753181.jpg
http://www.sailingcenter.org/images/expansion_4a.jpg

View from Center
http://www.expressmilwaukee.com/imgs/hed/art9559widea.jpg

January Construction Progress
http://hphotos-snc3.fbcdn.net/hs123.snc3/17053_260810547622_61948862622_3782668_7844169_n.jpg

http://hphotos-snc3.fbcdn.net/hs123.snc3/17053_258417847622_61948862622_3773970_1690549_n.jpg

Pictures of the completed center were hard to find, but I'll update as they become available.

[eastsider2]

North End expansion coming soon. (http://www.jsonline.com/business/85606377.html)
JSonline.com
Feb. 26, 2010

Mandel Group Inc. is planning to expand its downtown North End apartments, and work could begin on that project later this year, company President Barry Mandel said.

Mandel said the firm is "very anxious" to begin work on The North End's second phase.

The second phase will have about 160 units in two buildings. Mandel hopes to obtain tax-exempt bonds to finance about 30 units that would be offered at below-market rents.

Mandel hasn't released which buildings will be developed from the larger project plan. The City (http://www.mkedcd.org/parkeast/index.html) describes phase 2 as "two 5-story apartment buildings with 130-160 apartments, a new RiverWalk segment, public plaza, and new road". Here's some renderings of the overall project, including the recently opened apartment building.

One at North End
http://assets.bizjournals.com/story_image/252627-0-0-1.jpg
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2507/3945388300_6c50d37e16.jpg

Full Neighborhood
http://www.thenorthend.com/images/condos/pic6_big.jpg

http://www.thenorthend.com/images/condos/pic5_big.jpg

http://www.thenorthend.com/images/condos/pic3_big.jpg

http://www.mandelgroup.com/pics/retail_space/northend_pic5_big.jpg

[eastsider2]

There's a great article in the Journal Sentinel's Art City Blog, that discusses the future of architecture in Milwaukee. It's written by Mary Louise Schumacher, the paper's Art and Architecture critic.

What will Milwaukee's architecture future look like? (http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/entertainment/84964837.html) [Full Story]
Art City Blog - JSonline.com
Feb. 26, 2010

While there have been momentous architectural achievements in Milwaukee during the last 10 years, such as the construction of the Milwaukee Art Museum, it’s now clear that we will not be seeing a host of shiny new Calatravas built any time soon, as we once expected.

With the first decade of a new century behind us, it seems valuable to look back upon the last ten years and attempt to assess the state of architecture in our region. So what, if any, were the developments that have left a lasting mark on how the buildings of our future will be envisioned? For many, there is a clear and concise answer: the rise to prominence of green architecture.

Green architecture is the general term applied to a fairly broad global movement that attempts to retool the design and construction of buildings and renovations “to engage the environment in a way that dramatically reduces or eliminates the need for fossil fuels, and to convey an ethical position in regard to the use of non-renewable materials and materials that pose a threat to human and environmental health.” This definition, written by Architecture 2030, a leading organization pushing the architecture profession toward one of the most significant transformations in its history, is one that has been taken to heart by many in the architectural community here.

For more than 30 years, the faculty at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee has been on the forefront, and particularly professors Mike Utzinger, Jim Wasley and Greg Thomson. A generation of students have emerged with an understanding of green principals before it was even on the radar at many other schools around the country...

Projects discussed in Article:

OS House
http://media.jsonline.com/images/28007169_oshouse.jpg

UWM Milwaukee's "Meltwater House" in DC
http://media.popularmechanics.com/images/meltwater-470-1009.jpg

UWM Green Roofs
http://media.jsonline.com/images/28007169_roof%20final_JW%20small.jpg

Urban Ecology Center
http://www.tkwa.com/_images/_uec/uec_00_main.jpg

Schlitz Audubon Nature Center
http://www.tkwa.com/_images/_sanc/sanc_00_main.jpg

[Nowhereman1280]

^^^ Great article, I think the state of Architecture in Milwaukee is certainly as great as it is anywhere in the world and certainly better than it is down here in Chicago right now. I also like seeing so many mentions to my hometown favorite Kubala Washatko Architects from Cedarburg, WI. Mr. Washatko is one of my good friend's father. They design some great building and have an interesting design philosophy.

[eastsider2]

Spanish Trains to be Built at Tower Automotive (http://www.jsonline.com/news/milwaukee/85834502.html)
JSonline.com

Milwaukee's vacant Tower Automotive Corp. plant will be the site of a new factory to build passenger trains for use in Wisconsin, Oregon and possibly other states, Ald. Willie Wade said Monday.

The plant could create "hundreds of jobs," far more than the original projection of about 80 positions, Ald. Bob Bauman added.

Wade confirmed that the Spanish train manufacturer Talgo has selected the Tower site for its new plant. He said Gov. Jim Doyle would announce details at a 10 a.m. Tuesday news conference on the Tower grounds.

This would be the second time in two months that a Spanish company has announced plans to locate a plant in Milwaukee. In February, Ingeteam, a Spanish manufacturer of wind turbines, said it would build a factory in the Menomonee Valley.

[eastsider2]

http://assets.bizjournals.com/story_image/762721-0-0-1.jpg

Westling parnters with Gruanua on Downtown Office Building (http://milwaukee.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/stories/2010/03/08/story6.html)
Biz Journal

Bruce Westling is lining up an A-list of supporters for his proposed Park East office-and-movie-theater complex and expects to solidify within 60 days the tenants that would make the project feasible.

Westling, president of the NAI MLG Commercial real estate brokerage in Milwaukee, is partnering with developer Gary Grunau and others on a proposed 15-story office and parking structure with Marcus Cinemas next door. MLG Development, Brookfield, sold the development rights to Westling-led Rainier Properties in late 2009.

Westling and Milwaukee city officials view the site on the Milwaukee River as perhaps the most desirable in the corridor that was cleared by the demolition of the Park East freeway in 2003.

“We’re getting some really nice traction with some larger users that will drive this deal together,” Westling said this week.

[ddvmke]

http://media.jsonline.com/images/38024964_Mercy.JPG
A drawing of the proposed housing just north of North Ave betweem Farwell and Murray from Mr. Daykin's JSOnline Blog.

This building is stirring up a lot of debate on the JSOnline blogosphere and it got me thinking...and somehow I ended up looking for a master plan for Milwaukee. Does anyone know where I can find one besides just general principles, all I can seem to find is our UWM Master Plan.

EDIT: @Nowhereman1280, sorry about that it is just from the http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/business/87383782.html general blog by Tom Daykin

[Markitect]

somehow I ended up looking for a master plan for Milwaukee. Does anyone know where I can find one besides just general principles, all I can seem to find is our UWM Master Plan.

The Citywide Policy Plan (http://www.mkedcd.org/planning/plans/Citywide/index.html) is the general planning document that guides decision-making related to future physical development within the city.

Area Plans (http://www.mkedcd.org/planning/plans/CompPlan/Area/index.html) guide future neighborhood development. Area Plans include land use, design, and catalytic project recommendations. After the Common Council adopts an Area Plan, it becomes part of the overall Comprehensive Plan for the City.

While not considered Area Plans, there are other plans and studies (http://www.mkedcd.org/planning/plans/index.html) prepared by the City which further guide development in individual neighborhoods. These planning documents include redevelopment plans and action plans.

[Nowhereman1280]

ddvmke, you are supposed to post a link to the source for pictures, could you link to the article so I can read it and the subsequent debate? Thanks!

[eastsider2]

http://www.biztimes.com/nf/uploads/Image/RE%20Weekly%2003|31|10/Horny-Goat-Expansion-Rendering.jpg
Biz Times (http://www.biztimes.com/realestateweekly)
Horny Goat Brewing Co. is expanding its Horny Goat Hideaway brew pub at 2011 S. 1st St., located along the Kinnickinnic River on Milwaukee’s south side.
Construction began this month on the project, which will include four volleyball courts, corn hole (bean bag) pits, a 50-seat outdoor bar, a landscaped patio/boardwalk area, fire pits, 10 boat slips and an area for outdoor live band performances.
Horny Goat is not disclosing the cost of the project, but claims it will create the largest outdoor bar patio in Milwaukee.

[eastsider2]

http://assets.bizjournals.com/cms_media/milwaukee/blog/real_estate/2010/03/FirstStreetTriangle_web2.jpg?site=bizjournals.com

First Street Triangle stirs emotions (http://milwaukee.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/blog/real_estate/2010/03/first_street_triangle_stirs_emotions.html?surround=lfn)
Biz Journal

A volunteer effort to spruce up the gateway to the city’s 5th Ward is drawing criticism from residents of the blossoming near-south side neighborhood.

Two Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design students are proposing that a few trees and more than two dozen illuminated cubes be positioned at the vacant traffic triangle near South First and Water streets.

While nobody objects to doing something creative with the triangle, the illuminated “Pixel Field” proposed by MIAD bears a striking resemblance to a “graveyard” or “dead zone,” according to Milwaukee architect Charles Engberg, who lives in a condo at The Point on the River development.

Engberg and other architects and business leaders agree that the site is a rare piece of urban open space that has the potential to be accessible, open to multiple uses and green.

“The proposed concept fills the available space with solid objects with which one is forced to negotiate rather than co-exist,” Engberg wrote to Ursula Twombly, an architect and member of The Walker’s Point Neighborhood Association.

[Nowhereman1280]

^^^ Its art deal with it. They can make it so you can sit on the cubes like benches. I fully support that awesome triangle project.

[eastsider2]

^^^ Its art deal with it. They can make it so you can sit on the cubes like benches. I fully support that awesome triangle project.

I mean I don't think it's groundbreaking design or anything, but I don't really understand the opposition either.

[eastsider2]

Large Apartment Development proposed for Downtown Riverfront (http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/business/90880764.html)
JSonline.com

A 140-unit apartment development is being proposed for a vacant parcel overlooking the Milwaukee River, just north of Schlitz Park business park.

General Capital Group wants to build Beerline B Apartments north of E. Pleasant St. and east of N. Commerce St. A retail center, anchored by an upscale grocery store, had previously been proposed for the site, but those plans last year shifted to a different site.

The apartments, ranging from one to three bedrooms, would be in two buildings of three to four stories, with underground parking and a RiverWalk, said Steve Schnoll, a General Capital partner.

[johns866]

Any really BIG new developments near downtown MKE other than St John's and the Moderne? I'm not the only here at UWM that would like to see some new skyscrapers in our "CBD."

Also, if the Hone Bridge DOES close and they replace it with a smaller drive, would we create a redevelopment park there? As in, new businesses and condos?

[johns866]

http://i1018.photobucket.com/albums/af302/johns866/Photo-0102.jpg

http://i1018.photobucket.com/albums/af302/johns866/Photo-0103.jpg

http://i1018.photobucket.com/albums/af302/johns866/Photo-0104.jpg

http://i1018.photobucket.com/albums/af302/johns866/Photo-0105.jpg

http://i1018.photobucket.com/albums/af302/johns866/Photo-0106.jpg

http://i1018.photobucket.com/albums/af302/johns866/Photo-0107.jpg

http://i1018.photobucket.com/albums/af302/johns866/Photo-0108.jpg

http://i1018.photobucket.com/albums/af302/johns866/Photo-0109.jpg

http://i1018.photobucket.com/albums/af302/johns866/Photo-0110.jpg

http://i1018.photobucket.com/albums/af302/johns866/Photo-0111.jpg

http://i1018.photobucket.com/albums/af302/johns866/Photo-0112.jpg

http://i1018.photobucket.com/albums/af302/johns866/Photo-0113.jpg

http://i1018.photobucket.com/albums/af302/johns866/Photo-0114.jpg

http://i1018.photobucket.com/albums/af302/johns866/Photo-0120.jpg

Does anyone know what's going on here:

http://i1018.photobucket.com/albums/af302/johns866/Photo-0080.jpg

Or what's happening in this building on Farwell?

http://i1018.photobucket.com/albums/af302/johns866/Photo-0124.jpg

[johns866]

http://media.jsonline.com/images/38024964_Mercy.JPG
A drawing of the proposed housing just north of North Ave betweem Farwell and Murray from Mr. Daykin's JSOnline Blog.

Not going to happen.

http://urbanmilwaukee.com/2010/03/14/neighborhood-group-says-no-to-mercy-housing-lakefronts-east-side-development/

[eastsider2]

Where's the building on Farwell? I might be able to tell you what's going on. I believe the road construction is part of ongoing project from the city to convert one-way streets to two-way downtown to improve pedestrian experience.

[eastsider2]

Milwaukee architecture firm Johnsen Schmaling was one of 8 winners of AIA's annual architecture award for housing.

Ferrous House

http://info.aia.org/aia/aiaawards/ferrous-house/photo1.jpg

More pictures and information can be found here (http://www.aia.org/practicing/AIAB082755#P12_440).

[eastsider2]

Milwaukee Public Library completes Green Roof (http://www.jsonline.com/news/milwaukee/93174094.html)
JSonline.com
http://www.mpl.org/images/green_walkway_lg.jpg

------

Panel approves engineering for Milwaukee streetcar (http://www.jsonline.com/news/milwaukee/92974834.html)
JSonline.com
The Milwaukee Connector study committee voted, 3-1, to seek Federal Transit Administration approval for the engineering work on the streetcar, which would link downtown attractions to the lower east side with trips every 10 or 15 minutes, from early morning to late at night, seven days a week, for $1 a ride.
http://www.thetransportpolitic.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/Milwaukee-Streetcar.png

http://www.milwaukeeconnector.com/images/rendering1_lg.jpg

http://www.milwaukeeconnector.com/images/rendering4_lg.jpg

------

First Retailers open at North End (http://www.biztimes.com/daily/2010/5/7/first-retailers-open-at-the-north-end)
Biz Times

The first retailers at the first phase of the North End development have opened. Upon completion, the $200 million North End neighborhood is targeted to include 500 residences; 30,000 to 50,000 square feet of retail and a quarter mile of riverwalk. Mandel anticipates construction of the second phase of the project to begin by the end of this year.

Phase 1
http://assets.bizjournals.com/story_image/252627-0-0-1.jpg

Phase 2 - Public Plaza
http://www.mandelgroup.com/pics/retail_space/northend_pic3_big.jpg

[johns866]

Where's the building on Farwell? I might be able to tell you what's going on. I believe the road construction is part of ongoing project from the city to convert one-way streets to two-way downtown to improve pedestrian experience.

Sorry, the building is Kenilworth Place, and they just seemed to be renovating the one storefront. Didn't know about the street project; do you think they're readying for a trolley system while they're at it?

[eastsider2]

Alterra plan in bay view includes office space (http://www.jsonline.com/business/93648749.html)
http://media.jsonline.com/images/ALTERRA13P1.jpg

[eastsider2]

All projects currently under-construction. Doesn't include projects under construction but stalled due to the economy.

Building: Saint John's on the Lake
Neighborhood: Eastside / Prospect Ave
http://www.saintjohnsmilw.org/expansion/news/art/view2.jpg

Building: Eckstein Hall - Marquette
Neighborhood: Downtown
http://dailyreporter.com/files/2010/02/20100201marquette-law001.jpg
http://law.marquette.edu/building/images/illustrations/3drender.jpg

Building: Discovery Learning Complex - Marquette
Neighborhood: Downtown
http://dailyreporter.com/files/2010/02/marquette-u-college-of-engineering-discovery-learning-complex.jpg

Building: Empowerment Village
Neighborhood:
http://img168.imageshack.us/img168/1206/empf.jpg
http://dailyreporter.com/files/2010/02/empowerment-village.jpg

Building: US Bank Parking Garage
Neighborhood: Downtown
http://www.spancrete.com/bin/files/usbankparking.jpg
http://dailyreporter.com/files/2010/02/us-bank-parking-structure.jpg

Building: Columbia St Mary's Hospital
Neighborhood: Eastside / North Ave
http://www.columbia-stmarys.com/MediaLibrary/SMMLge2010.jpg
http://www.cgschmidt.com/Handlers/Photo.ashx?id=211

Building: Eerie Street Bamboo Plaza
Neighborhood: Thirdward
http://archlandscapes.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/Erie-Street-Plaza-Landscape-STOSS-2009-USA-Wisconsin-Milwaukee04-590x296.jpg
http://archlandscapes.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/Erie-Street-Plaza-Landscape-STOSS-2009-USA-Wisconsin-Milwaukee01-590x289.jpg

Building: Horny Goat Restaurant Patio Build-Out
Neighborhood: Walker's Point
http://www.biztimes.com/nf/uploads/Image/RE%20Weekly%2003|31|10/Horny-Goat-Expansion-Rendering.jpg

Building: Latitude Apartments
Neighborhood: Eastside / North Ave
http://mw2.google.com/mw-panoramio/photos/medium/31534563.jpg
http://www.biztimes.com/nf/uploads/Image/11.28.08issue/Kenilworth.jpg

Building: Job Corps Center
Neighborhood:
http://www.continuumarchitects.com/assets/client_files/Image/Job%20Corps/5.jpg
http://www.continuumarchitects.com/assets/client_images/portfolio/Job%20Corps%20plaza%20view.jpg
http://www.continuumarchitects.com/assets/client_files/Image/Job%20Corps/100_3463.jpg
http://www.continuumarchitects.com/assets/client_files/Image/Job%20Corps/100_3453.jpg

Building: Jackson Square Apartments
Neighborhood: Third Ward
http://www.eua.com/data/portfolio/jacksonsquare2.jpg
http://www.biztimes.com/nf/uploads/Image/reweekly5.6.09/Jackson-Square.jpg

Building: Cambridge Commons
Neighborhood: Eastside / North Ave
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs196.snc1/6609_111328848245_103373743245_2426678_4585114_n.jpg
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs176.snc1/6609_111328823245_103373743245_2426676_6972764_n.jpg

Project: Humboldt Ave Bridge
Neighborhood: East Side
http://www.milwaukeeworld.com/blog/uploaded_images/Humboldbridge-768341.gif
http://www.ci.mil.wi.us/ImageLibrary/Groups/ccCouncil/images2/Humboldt009.jpg

[eastsider2]

Marcus Center revives plan for parking structure redevelopment (http://milwaukee.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/stories/2010/06/28/focus1.html)
Biz Journal

Officials at the Marcus Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Milwaukee are reintroducing a proposed mixed-use redevelopment of the center’s parking garage in hopes that developers will again see the project’s potential in an improving economy.

Previous proposal (Ovation Plaza)
http://www.gpchicago.com/users/FolderData/%7B15D465FD-73BF-47E7-B8AA-91D5BED81CD2%7D/OVPweb_1.jpg

[eastsider2]

Groundbreaking for Valley Passage (http://www.biztimes.com/realestateweekly)

http://www.biztimes.com/nf/uploads/Image/RE%20Weekly%2005|19|10/Valley_Passage_Bridge.jpg

A groundbreaking ceremony was held Tuesday to celebrate the start of construction for the Valley Passage, which will improve pedestrian access between the Menomonee Valley in Milwaukee and the residential neighborhood to the south.

[eastsider2]

http://www.biztimes.com/nf/uploads/Image/RE%20Weekly%2002|17|10/Ingeteam_Indar_500px.jpg

A groundbreaking ceremony is being held this morning to celebrate the start of construction of a 140,000-square-foot manufacturing center for Bilbao, Spain-based Ingeteam Inc. in the Menomonee Valley in Milwaukee.
Will be used to manufacture generators and converters for wind turbines and solar power inverters.

Biz Times (http://www.biztimes.com/realestateweekly/2010/6/23/ingeteam-groundbreaking-is-today)

[eastsider2]

Update on the Gold's Gym project downtown:

Renderings
http://img25.imageshack.us/img25/7839/96605740.jpg

http://img526.imageshack.us/img526/1697/10698043.jpg


The city will be spending $3,053,992 for the purposes of renovating 480 linear feet of Riverwalk. Construction begins this year.

Legistar File # 091567

[eastsider2]

Water School Project Tests University's Budget (http://dailyreporter.com/blog/2010/06/11/water-school-project-tests-university-budget/)
The Daily Reporter

http://dailyreporter.com/files/2010/06/4_freshwater-exterior.jpg

http://dailyreporter.com/files/2010/06/4_freshwater-interior.jpg

The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee might not have enough money to renovate and expand the Great Lakes Research Facility.

The state approved a $50 million budget for the university to build a 125,000-square-foot addition to the research building in Milwaukee. The addition would be the first half of a new UW-Milwaukee School of Freshwater Sciences.

But the building and addition are large structures, and university planners envision a large central commons area to blend the old and new buildings, said Christopher Gluesing, assistant director of the UW-Milwaukee office of university architects and planning.

“It needs to kind of have a heart to it,” he said, “that holds it all together.”

Planners want to simultaneously build the addition and renovate the area of the old building that will connect to the central commons area, Gluesing said. That would ensure all four walls of the commons match.

...

[eastsider2]

New model of the Moderne (now in prep):

http://www.rinkachung.com/Project%20Pages/Moderne/Images/MODERNE-MODEL.JPG

[Nowhereman1280]

^^^ Speaking of Moderne:


Moderne high-rise loan guarantee wins final OK, work to begin soon

By Tom Daykin of the Journal Sentinel
Aug. 27, 2010 1:10 p.m. |(27) COMMENTS

The final approval for a federal loan guarantee to finance the planned downtown Moderne apartment high-rise has just been granted by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, an agency spokeswoman told me Friday afternoon.

That approval paves the way for developer Rick Barrett to begin building the Moderne, which will have 203 apartments and 14 condos at the southwest corner of W. Juneau Ave. and N. Old World 3rd St. It will be among the largest construction projects currently happening in the Milwaukee area.

HUD's local office granted preliminary approval last fall for the guarantee, which applies to a $41.4 million loan from the AFL-CIO Housing Investment Trust. The Common Council in November approved $9.3 million in city loans for the Moderne, which also will have at least $4.3 million in equity financing from Barrett and his partners.

Barrett had scheduled a February groundbreaking on the project.



Its astounding to me that they can throw up a 33 story highrise in Milwaukee for a good deal less than $100 million. Same building in Chicago would be $150 million.

[Nowhereman1280]

^^^ Since that piece of fantastic news caught no one's attention, maybe this will:
Area retail real estate market sees little change in 2nd quarter

The Milwaukee area's retail real estate market saw virtually no change for the second quarter compared to the first quarter of 2010, according to a new report issued by CoStar Group.

The vacancy rate remained at 6.7% when the latest quarter ended June 30, the report said. Quoted rental rates decreased from first quarter 2010 levels, ending at $11.73 per square foot per year. That was a decline of 1.2% from $11.87.

Milwaukee's northwest side had the highest vacancy rate for submarkets, at 16.3%.

The submarket with the lowest vacancy rate was the east side of downtown, at 2.3%, with downtown's west side reporting a 3% vacancy rate.

http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/business/98840044.html

These are rock bottom numbers. I don't think downtown Chicago has ever had a 2.3% vacancy rate in any sector in any market in any time in the past... Clearly there is plenty of demand for urban retail in Milwaukee, a trend which bodes well for more retail rich, pedestrian oriented neighborhoods.

[Tom In Chicago]

These are rock bottom numbers. I don't think downtown Chicago has ever had a 2.3% vacancy rate in any sector in any market in any time in the past... Clearly there is plenty of demand for urban retail in Milwaukee, a trend which bodes well for more retail rich, pedestrian oriented neighborhoods.

I think it's all about market absorption. . .

. . .

[Nowhereman1280]

^^^ Yeah, that and Milwaukee doesn't have the massive retail liquidity that Chicago does. It takes supply longer to respond to demand when the total supply is not very large.

[johns866]

Great to hear the news about the Moderne, though. Looking forward to something growing in the frozen wastes this winter!

[eastsider2]

GM Today (http://www.gmtoday.com/content/m_magazine/2010/September/m_0910_87.asp) had some new information about Kane Commons. Excerpt from the article:

Each of the sustainable development’s 12 units is unique in architecture and intent, from a historic rehab streetside to the dramatic bluff houses along the Milwaukee River to Kohler’s own eco-friendly home. They range in size from 1,200 to 3,300 square feet and are built around a common courtyard.

http://www.gmtoday.com/content/m_magazine/2010/September/images/mmagsept2010p87kane01.jpg
Each building in the Kane Commons development is unique in architecture, says architect Russell LaFrombois III. "Julilly (Kohler) had always envisioned a group of diverse people living here. I took that as a lead."


http://www.gmtoday.com/content/m_magazine/2010/September/images/mmagsept2010p87kane02.jpg
Several of the units in the Kane Commons development feature a view of the Milwaukee River. The bluff has been restored with nearly all native plants that help to slow stormwater runoff into the river.

[eastsider2]

According to the Biz Journal (http://milwaukee.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/stories/2010/09/13/daily37.html):

The Iron Horse Hotel of Milwaukee was named “Boutique Hotel of the Year” by the Boutique & Lifestyle Lodging Association.

The motorcycle-themed hotel said it was recognized for excellence in six categories: design and architecture; sustainability; food and beverage; customer service; marketing and sales and operational performance.


http://www.hotelchatter.com/files/admin/IHH.bedroom015.jpg http://www.haulbikes.com/newsletters/images/ihh_interior.jpg

[eastsider2]

According to the Journal Sentinel (http://www.jsonline.com/business/103493609.html), Johnson Controls's recent expansion in Glendale (suburb of Milwaukee), has recently been awarded the Platinum LEED certification. And for the second time in three years, Wisconsin is home to the greenest building in the nation, based on a scorecard developed by the U.S. Green Building Council.

http://johnsoncontrols.mediaroom.com/file.php/6653/ps_2.jpg

http://www.hendrickarchproducts.com/assets/images/Column_Covers_at_Johnson_Controls_building_in_Glendale_Wisconsin-w1000-h1000.jpg

[eastsider2]

Milwaukee got a shout out in the New York Post (http://www.nypost.com/p/lifestyle/travel/urban_renewal_oNyGUwEH1IbwqsXK9sfZ3J/0), on an article focusing on Urban Renewal. Excerpt:

"People have been writing about Milwaukee 2.0 for a long time now, but only recently has the city that’s perhaps known best for people that didn’t exist — Laverne, Shirley, The Fonz — ambled out of the 1980s and into the 21st century...

But hip? Never. That’s changed. These days, Milwaukee feels like it’s finally back in the game, innovating and restoring and renewing and just damn fun to spend time with."

http://www.nypost.com/rw/nypost/2010/09/14/lifestyle/photos_galleries/ArtMuseum--300x450.jpg

[eastsider2]

Ballet, MCW, UWM join forces for downtown arts, clinic space
Milwaukee Biz Journal (http://milwaukee.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/stories/2010/09/27/daily17.html?surround=lfn)

The Milwaukee Ballet Company will join with Froedtert & Medical College of Wisconsin, the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee’s Peck School of the Arts and other potential partners under a plan that will create a new downtown hub of arts, arts education and wellness activity within the next five years.

The plan, dubbed the “Harmony Initiative,” will create a single space in downtown Milwaukee — specifically the North Water Street corridor — to house the Ballet’s new administrative offices, its school and rehearsal space combined with a Froedtert & Medical College of Wisconsin sports medicine clinic.

[eastsider2]

Junior Achievement breaks ground for education center
http://www.biztimes.com/nf/uploads/Image/RE%20Weekly%2009|29|10/Junior-Achievement-Center.jpg
Biz Times (http://www.biztimes.com/realestateweekly)
Junior Achievement of Wisconsin on Tuesday held a groundbreaking ceremony to celebrate the start of construction of the 40,000-square-foot Junior Achievement of Wisconsin Kohl’s Education Center, which will be built at 11111 W. Liberty Place, in the Park Place development on Milwaukee’s far northwest side.
The total cost of the project is $6 million. Menomonee Falls-based Kohl’s Corp. contributed $3 million toward the project. Milwaukee-based Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Co. contributed $1 million toward the project.

First Bishop's Creek building is complete
http://www.biztimes.com/nf/uploads/Image/RE%20Weekly%2009|29|10/Bishops-Creek.jpg
Biz Times (http://www.biztimes.com/realestateweekly)
St. Paul, Minn.-based CommonBond Communities and Bishop’s Creek Community Development Corp. held a celebration on Monday to commemorate the completion of the first building in the Bishop’s Creek redevelopment project of the former Kaiser tannery site at Hampton Avenue and North 32nd Street in Milwaukee’s central city.

[eastsider2]

Flickr: John December

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4120/4736626622_2999aa67c2.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4118/4736618368_826242c006.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4117/4740906643_916ab2d73c.jpg

[Baronvonellis]

What's the point of building a new park to make it look like its overgrown with weeds? Looks kind of junky to me. You don't need to build a new park to make it look like that.

[pip]

just looked through the past couple of pages. Wow Milwaukee! I think it's time for another trip up there.

[Nowhereman1280]

^^^ You bet, Milwaukee is shaming NYC, Chicago, and LA right now when it comes to building cutting edge, modern buildings. The standard style in Milwaukee is modern, not ye olde throwback towne home. I'm pumped because I'm looking at changing jobs and maybe ending up in Milwaukee working on development.

What's the point of building a new park to make it look like its overgrown with weeds? Looks kind of junky to me. You don't need to build a new park to make it look like that.

I don't think it looks overgrown with weeds, I think it looks planted with immature Day Lilies...

This park looks like it turned out well, I just wish they could kill those stupid parking lots for Summerfest grounds.

[Busy Bee]

^^^ You bet, Milwaukee is shaming NYC, Chicago, and LA right now when it comes to building cutting edge, modern buildings. The standard style in Milwaukee is modern, not ye olde throwback towne home. I'm pumped because I'm looking at changing jobs and maybe ending up in Milwaukee working on development.

Totally agree. All elements put together I'd venture to say whats going up in Milwaukee is the closest thing to Euro-style development in maybe the whole country. Crazy cool stuff. Keep it up Milwaukee!

[Markitect]

What's the point of building a new park to make it look like its overgrown with weeds? Looks kind of junky to me. You don't need to build a new park to make it look like that.

That is a photo of the marsh garden section of the plaza. Those are not weeds, they are marsh grasses--freshly planted, so they hadn't grown out yet when the photo was taken in the early summer.

The marsh along the bulkhead is there to perform a very important function. It acts as a sponge, to soak up stormwater and runoff, holding it, filtering it before it percolates into the ground or runs into the river. It is a unique green feature along an otherwise not-so-green riverbank (e.g. hard-edged concrete and steel and wood) in Downtown and Third Ward areas. Recreating a small marsh garden there is also a historical reference--a call-back to when the Third Ward neighborhood actually was a marsh.

[Baronvonellis]

Well it's not a marsh now. It's a city. I guess you should just tear down the whole city. That would be more environmentally friendly too. I doubt that tiny area is going to do barely anything for runoff. Perhaps, paving all the streets downtown with brick would be a start. I'm just saying it looks like a rundown park with boards ripped up, rusty metal, and overgrown weeds. I don't know why anyone would spend money to make a new park look like that.

[Ch.G, Ch.G]

It's mimicking the High Line aesthetic. Do an image search to get a sense of how this park will look in a year or two. And if you find the High Line unattractive as well, then I think you can rest assured knowing your opinion is in the minority.

[Baronvonellis]

Yea, I'm familiar with the High Line. That's different because it's on a elevated railroad track. I'm not really crazy about the aesthetic of that park either. I would prefer more of a classical park design.

[eastsider2]

http://img340.imageshack.us/img340/4912/mjsmicrosoftpowerpoint2.jpg

Journal Sentinel (http://www.jsonline.com/business/104319514.html)

A development firm has changed its plans for an apartment building on Milwaukee's east side, reducing the building height in response to neighborhood opposition.

Mercy Housing Lakefront Inc. is now proposing a five-story building, with 54 units, for a site between N. Farwell and N. Murray avenues, about a half-block north of E. North Ave. Chicago-based Mercy earlier this year proposed a nine-story building with 83 apartments.

[Nowhereman1280]

Yea, I'm familiar with the High Line. That's different because it's on a elevated railroad track. I'm not really crazy about the aesthetic of that park either. I would prefer more of a classical park design.

I've had a couple drinks so forgive me when I say: FUCK CLASSICAL DESIGN. Seriously, Milwaukee is doing everything right why pollute it with "classical" bullshit. Now is the time for Milwaukee to continue forging ahead with radically modern designs on all levels. See the post above this for yet another example of how nearly all new buildings in Milwaukee are of exceptionally modern design. How on earth would a "classical" park fit in with such a wonderfully fresh and city wide aesthetic?

[eastsider2]

Pictures courtesy of: Urban Milwaukee (http://urbanmilwaukee.com/2010/10/06/beerline-b-apartment-complex-to-break-ground-in-november-renderings/)

Not a fan of the site layout, or the design. What do you guys think?

http://img139.imageshack.us/img139/3191/rendering2.jpg

http://img153.imageshack.us/img153/2947/rendering1.jpg

[eastsider2]

Construction has began on Milwaukee's Intermodal station train shed. The main station building was recently remodeled, and the new shed was designed to match those additions. The rail link to Chicago will be upgraded to high-speed, and a new high-speed line is being constructed to Madison.

Recently remodeled station:

http://www.eua.com/data/portfolio/inter13.jpg

http://www.eua.com/data/portfolio/inter4.jpg

Train shed design:

http://img242.imageshack.us/img242/9869/2rendering.jpg

http://img512.imageshack.us/img512/1074/5rendering.jpg

[Steely Dan]

^ Wow, that's gonna be light years ahead of that dark, dank shed they have now.

it's also interesting that amtrak is now apparently planning to reroute the "sunset limited" and "california zephyr" through milwaukee. ;)

[Busy Bee]

Awesome!!! I love train sheds! This will be fantastic!

[eastsider2]

Biz Times (http://www.biztimes.com/realestateweekly/2010/10/6/von-briesen-roper-delays-decision-on-new-office-space)

Von Briesen & Roper, S.C., which for months said it planned to make a decision about a new office location by the end of the third quarter, announced last week that it is postponing its decision.

Von Briesen is considering moving to two proposed downtown office developments: one that Irgens Development Partners LLC and Joel Lee of Van Buren Management are working on at the southeast corner of Mason and Jefferson streets, and another proposed by Weas Development southeast of Broadway and Michigan Street.

“We are committed to downtown Milwaukee, and we believe the time is right for a new, mixed-use tower. We would be delighted to anchor this project. Milwaukee is a world-class city with a wealth of theater, entertainment, professional sports franchises, museums and restaurants. It is time to capitalize on the Milwaukee idea of hard work and great entertainment and build new building that speaks to our city’s culture, history and dynamic future.”

One rendering of proposal by Irgens that was floating around (which is probably outdated):

http://scb.com/images/project/312/NE-060413LR.jpg

http://scb.com/images/project/312/SW-060413nightLR.jpg
Solomon Cordell Buenz

[Nowhereman1280]

That Trainshed is awesome. I still don't understand how Milwaukee is getting design after design that is just completely awesome. I really can't think of another city in the United States that has such consistently modern development.

Does anyone have any idea why this is? I mean are the developers promoting good design? Are the customers demanding it? Are the architects pushing it on the developers? Or is there just a general culture of quality, modern design with no particular root cause?

Pictures courtesy of: Urban Milwaukee (http://urbanmilwaukee.com/2010/10/06/beerline-b-apartment-complex-to-break-ground-in-november-renderings/)

Not a fan of the site layout, or the design. What do you guys think?

http://img139.imageshack.us/img139/3191/rendering2.jpg

http://img153.imageshack.us/img153/2947/rendering1.jpg

Good lord, how has demand for these projects in downtown Milwaukee not run dry yet? I think this project looks awesome. I'd complain about the layout as well, but really there isn't much better of a way of doing it because there is no room to create any semblance of a street grid. Besides, other driveways like this in the area have assumed a very pedestrian nature anyhow.

The developments in Milwaukee never end, recession or not. I hope that office tower gets built, its gorgeous!

[Ch.G, Ch.G]

I've gotta say, this thread has totally changed my opinion of Milwaukee. I haven't been in years but would really like to pay it a visit the next time I'm in Chicago for an extended period of time.

Honestly, I know this sounds silly, but I really dig the above development if only for its strong graphic quality-- big black outlines and neon green punch-outs. I wish more architects were less afraid of bold colors... color at all, really.

[ChiPsy]

The new train shed looks great; if Wisconsin can get enough of its high-speed rail line under contract before the anti-HSR Republican candidate is elected Governor, it's going to be a superb gateway between Chicago and Madison (and maybe Minneapolis). There's so much good architectural fabric being sewn together in Milwaukee, it's going to make a good impression on everyone who cruises through -- it already does to everyone I've brought up there (having been pleasantly surprised myself).